Archive for the 'Theology' Category

Those who believe in the “Trinity” or deity of Yeshua (Jesus) doctrines believe that certain Bible verses prove the Messiah, the Son of YHWH (Yahweh), is really Yahweh Himself. Those verses are listed below followed by my commentary written in blue. As you will see, those verses do not support such a conclusion when rightly understood.

Psalm 102:25-27 – “Of old hast thou laid the foundation of the earth: and the heavens are the work of thy hands. They shall perish, but thou shalt endure: yea, all of them shall wax old like a garment; as a vesture shalt thou change them, and they shall be changed: But thou art the same, and thy years shall have no end.

It is believed that this passage was quoted in Hebrews 1:10-12 as referring to Yeshua (Jesus).

Hebrews 1:10-12 – “And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning has laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of thine hands: They shall perish; but thou remain; and they all shall wax old as does a garment. And as a vesture shalt thou fold them up, and they shall be changed: but thou art the same, and thy years shall not fail.

The first thing to note is that this quote is not a quote from the Hebrew Text, but from the Septuagint (LXX – Greek Old Testament). The Hebrew Text does not have “Lord” in it. Therefore, to say that “Lord” in Hebrews 1:10 proves that Yeshua is Yahweh is unscriptural. The LXX has “Kurie” in Psalm 102:25, but that is questionable since it is not found in the Hebrew Text. The LXX also omits “O my God” in verse 24.

In reading the Hebrew of Psalm 102, it is clear the subject is Yahweh. They are the words of an afflicted man as he cries out to Yahweh. They are not the words of Yahweh as He speaks to His Son.

In each of these quotes it can be seen that either Yahweh is talking to His Son or about His Son. Yet, in Psalm 102:25-27 it is the Psalmist talking to Yahweh. Therefore, to include Hebrews 1:10-12 among those things that Yahweh said to or about His Son is incorrect.

The writer of Hebrews had written verses 1-9 to show how Yahweh exalted His Son, even above the angels. It appears as though the writer was then moved to exalt Yahweh as well by including verses 10-12 as a parenthesis. He then resumes by showing Yeshua’s exaltation in verse 13 which is a continuation of verse 9.

Isaiah 40:3 – The voice of him that cries in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of YHWH, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.

Malachi 3:1- Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith YHWH of hosts.

John 1:23 – He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of [YHWH], as said the prophet Isaiah.

When comparing the verses above, many have erroneously concluded that when Isaiah says, “Prepare you the way of YHWH”, and then Yeshua comes, that he must be Yahweh.

Of all the New Testament verses that quote Isaiah 40:3, Luke 3:4-6 aids our understanding because it includes Isaiah 40:4-5. It says;

“As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of Yahweh, make his paths straight. Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low; and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways shall be made smooth; And all flesh shall see the salvation of Yahweh.”

“Prepare ye the way of YHWH” does not mean, “Move out of the way because Yahweh is coming.” And so when Yeshua comes they believe he is Yahweh.

How was “the way” to be prepared? By filling valleys, leveling mountains, straightening paths, etc. This work is not to be understood literally, but spiritually through the humbling of those in exalted positions and the restoration of truth. Who was to do that work? John 4:34 says, “Yeshua said unto them, My meat is to do the will of Him that sent me, and to finish his work.” Almighty Yahweh appointed His Son Yeshua to finish His work. Yeshua was Yahweh’s instrument in the accomplishment of His great plan. Yeshua is the “Messenger of the Covenant,” “the servant of Yahweh,” and “the salvation of Yahweh.” John 14:6 calls Yeshua “the way.” He is “the way of Yahweh”; the means through which Yahweh will finish His work.

Malachi 3:1 specifically says Yahweh is the one who would send the messenger and that “he (the messenger – Yeshua) shall prepare the way before me (Yahweh)”.

Zechariah 12:10 – “And I (Yahweh) will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourns for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.”

John 19:37 – “And again another scripture says, ‘They shall look on him whom they pierced.’”

The word “me” in Zechariah 12:10 obviously does not harmonize with the pronouns “him” and “his” that follow. John 19:37 seems to give us the correct understanding of this verse as do other versions like the RSV and ASV. However, let’s assume the text of John 19:37 should have read “me” instead of “him”. Was it really Yahweh who died on the tree via crucifixion?

It is impossible for Yahweh to die. Therefore, it could not have been Him who was pierced by being nailed to a tree. It is also impossible for anyone to look upon Yahweh without dying (Exodus 33:20) yet, many people gazed into Yeshua’s face as he hung on the tree. Also, the Apostle John wrote after Yeshua’s death that no man has seen God (John 1:18; 1 John 4:12). Therefore, God (Yahweh) was not hanging on that tree. It was Yahweh’s only begotten Son, Yeshua, who died on the tree.

How, then, should we understand Zechariah 12:10 if “me” is the correct reading? Yahweh and Yeshua were so intimately bound to each other (as many earthly fathers are to their sons) that when something happens to one it’s as though it happened to the other. One can hear a father say, “The day my son died, I died.” Consider, also, Exodus 7:17 when understanding this verse.

“Thus says Yahweh, In this thou shalt know that I am Yahweh: behold, I will smite with the rodthat is in mine hand upon the waters which are in the river, and they shall be turned to blood. And the fish that is in the river shall die, and the river shall stink; and the Egyptians shall loath to drink of the water of the river. And Yahweh spoke unto Moses, Say unto Aaron, Take thy rod, and stretch out thine hand upon the waters of Egypt, upon their streams, upon their rivers, and upon their ponds, and upon all their pools of water, that they may become blood; and that there may be blood throughout all the land of Egypt, both in vessels of wood, and in vessels of stone. And Moses and Aaron did so, as Yahweh commanded; and he lifted up the rod, and smote the waters that were in the river, in the sight of Pharaoh, and in the sight of his servants; and all the waters that were in the river were turned to blood.”

Yahweh says He Himself will smite the waters with the rod in His own hand. Yet, it was Aaron that held the rod (Exodus 7:19–20). Are we to believe Aaron is Yahweh? No. Neither should we believe Yeshua is Yahweh based on Zechariah 12:10.

Joel 2:32; Acts 2:21– “And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of YHWH shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as YHWH has said, and in the remnant whom YHWH shall call.”

Romans 10:13 – “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

From these verses it is erroneously concluded that Yeshua must be Yahweh. WithActs 2:16-21, we know with certainty that it is a quote from Joel 2:32based on the context. With Romans 10:13, it is assumed to be a quote of Joel 2:32. Paul, however, may have written or intended “Master” or “Lord” to be understood rather than “Yahweh” (LORD).

“Unto the church of Elohim which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Messiah Yeshua, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Yeshua Messiah our Master, both theirs and ours:”

To use the phrase, “call upon the name of the Master,” was not new to Paul (First Corinthians was written before the Epistle to the Romans). So when he was addressing the Roman’s concerning salvation, he simply added the phrase “shall be saved”. After all, Yahweh appointed Yeshua to save the world (John 3:16).

Jeremiah 23:5-6 – “Behold, the days come, says YHWH, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth. In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is his name whereby he shall be called, YHWH OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.”

If this verse teaches that Yeshua is Yahweh because he is called “Yahweh Our Righteousness”, then Jeremiah 33:16 teaches that Jerusalem is also Yahweh. It reads, “In those days shall Judah be saved, and Jerusalem shall dwell safely: and this is the name wherewith she shall be called, Yahweh our righteousness.” The translators did not use the same capitalization because they undoubtedly feared that it would suggest Jerusalem is Yahweh.

Just because a name contains the name of the Father does not mean that person is the Father, Yahweh. Consider the name “Jehu” meaning “He is Yah”. Does that mean “Jehu” is really Yahweh? No.